Metropolitan Museum of Art
Object Number: 1979.206.87
Institution media
4 images
Digital Benin research
Edo designation
Uhunmwu-Elao
English designation
Commemorative Head
Category
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Provenance
British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897
Hewett, Kenneth John
Komor Gallery
Komor, Mathias
Museum of Primitive Arts, New York
Pitt-Rivers (Lane Fox), Augustus Henry
Read, Charles Hercules
Rockefeller, Nelson Aldrich
Roth, Henry Ling
LocationNew York City, United States
Institution data
Internal Data (eng)Public Data (eng)
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last Updated: 2021-07-30
Language: English
Object NumberObject ID
1979.206.87
Object Sort NumberObject ID
1979 206 87
Primary Rendition NoObject ID
DT9876
TitleDesignation, Object Type
Head of an Oba
MediumMaterial
Brass
DimensionsDimensions
H. 10 3/4 x W. 8 3/8 x D. 8 5/8 in. (27.3 x 21.3 x 21.9 cm)
ClassificationObject Type
Metal-Sculpture
DateDate Made
1550–1680
Geo: CityProduction Place
Court of Benin
Geo: CountryProduction Place
Nigeria
Credit LinePrior Source
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
ProvenanceProvenance
Court of Benin; taken from the Royal Palace in 1897 during the British military occupation of Benin by Henry Ling Roth, Halifax, England; [Charles Hercules Read, London, until 1898]; Augustus Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers, Farnham, Dorset, U.K., from 1898; [K. John Hewett, London, until 1958; [Matthias Komor, New York, in 1958]; Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York, 1958, on loan to The Museum of Primitive Art, 1958–1978
DynastyReign Associated Name
Oranmiyan
CultureEthnic Attribution
Edo peoples
ExhibitionHistoryExhibition History
Primitive Sculpture in Metal: Bronzes from Benin/Gold from theAmericas Museum of Primitive Art, October 29, 1958–February 8,1959 African Sculpture Indiana University, September 28, 1961–October 19,1961 Primitive Art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Lent by theMPA The Society of the Four Arts, March 7, 1964–March 29,1964 The World of Primitive Art Museum of Primitive Art, July 12, 1966–September 11,1966 The Sculpture of Primitive Peoples Mary Washington University, October 23, 1966–December 11,1966 African Sculpture Bruce Museum, April 9, 1967 Benin Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 21, 1968–November 24,1968 New Orleans Museum of Art, December 15, 1968–January 15,1969 Art of Oceania, Africa and the Americas from The Museum ofPrimitive Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 10, 1969–August 17,1969 Masterpieces of Fifty Centuries The Metropolitan Museum of Art, November 14, 1970–June 1,1971 Sculpture of Black Africa: Nigeria &Cameroon The Metropolitan Museum of Art, June 23, 1971–March 19,1972 African Art from the Museum of Primitive Art Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, October 12,1972–November 19, 1972 Primitive Art/Masterworks Seattle Art Museum, January 5, 1975–February 16,1975 Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 23, 1975–May 4,1975 Dallas Museum of Art, June 8, 1975–July 20,1975 Art Institute of Chicago, August 25, 1975–October 10,1975 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, November 9, 1975–December 21,1975 Toledo Museum of Art, April 11, 1976–May 25,1976 Walker Art Center, June 27, 1976–August 8, 1976 Denver Art Museum, September 10, 1976–November 7,1976 de Young Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, March 12,1977–May 15, 1977
BibliographyBibliography
American Federation of Arts. Primitive Art Masterworks: an exhibition jointly organized by the Museum of Primitive Art and the American Federation of Arts, New York. New York: American Federation of Arts, 1974, no. 74. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Art of Oceania, Africa, and the Americas from the Museum of Primitive Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1969, no. 367. Newton, Douglas. Masterpieces of Primitive Art: The Nelson A. Rockefeller Collection. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978, p. 55.
Published ReferencesBibliography